Does GMBM have the credentials? It’s hard to know exactly. The Caps tell us he’s won a Stanley Cup as a player, though he was a bit of a passenger on that Cup-winning Flames team in 1989. He played 606 career NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, Minnesota North Stars, Calgary Flames and Detroit Red Wings. MacLellan was also a teammate of McPhee’s at Bowling Green for four seasons.

The Caps tell us MacLellan oversaw the club’s professional scouting staff (the evaluation of dudes at the NHL level) and worked closely with the Hershey Bears, who won Calder Cups in 2006, 2009, and 2010. The Bears, who dominated in the early years of their affiliation– when Washington was rebuilding– have faltered since – missing the playoffs completely this season after aggressively signing minor-league free agents last summer. The Bears watched head coach Mark French leave the organization, who has since gotten rave reviews leading the KHL’s expansion Medveščak Zagreb. Medveščak made the KHL playoffs last season.

On Monday, Leonsis– as open and upfront as he can– wrote a long blog post about the hiring, hinting that MacLellan winning the job was a surprise even for him.

We always had planned to interview our Assistant GM for player personnel, Brian MacLellan. We’ve always been impressed with Brian, but frankly our day-to-day dealings were with the team’s GM, not the Assistant GM who was traveling much of the year. So we wanted to get to know him a little better, and as we interviewed others, we found ourselves immediately comparing them with Brian.

While we felt we needed to make significant changes – and we did by moving on the GM and coach – we also didn’t feel we had to completely rebuild or start from scratch. Of course Brian has incredible knowledge regarding all the players in our system, but what impressed us was his philosophy when it came to all personnel matters – the draft, player development, minor-league affiliations and amateur and pro scouting. He was straight forward, confident and open with his ideas, and for the past six weeks has served as our interim GM, working on trades, signings and our new agreement with Hershey.

We promoted Brian to general manger because he better than anyone articulated a plan and a philosophy for all phases of our hockey operations department. While the interview process opened our eyes regarding Brian’s candidacy, it also reinforced how many talented, intelligent, high-character people are involved in guiding our sport and NHL teams. We appreciated the input and time provided by everyone in the process – we have so much respect for all of those with whom we spoke.

Not everyone, however, is optimistic about the hire. Shawn Simpson, who served as the director of hockey operations for Washington until he was fired for one Brian MacLellan in 2004, flipped out on Twitter.

When the Capitals cleaned house just over a month ago, I blogged that the GM decision was critical and arguably the most important in team history. Caps owner Ted Leonsis also stated that the organization was looking for a fresh look at things.

Hiring MacLellan, on the surface, does not meet that criteria, at all. With names like Ray Shero and Craig Button available, men who’ve won Stanley Cups in a hockey management position, I don’t see how the Capitals came close to getting the right person to lead them to their first Stanley Cup.

As assistant GM, MacLellan was in charge of the pro scouting and that is where this organization has really fallen down the last several years. The return on the Filip Forsberg trade was abysmal and recent free agent moves have not addressed the team’s main deficiencies, which start on the blue line. When you see the attention paid to that position and moves like Roman Hamrlik and Tyson Strachan, you have to wonder what is going on in the pro scouting arena? How many times did George McPhee tell the media and the fans “We like our D?” Wasn’t MacLellan a part of the “We?”

Overall, the moves this team has made at the pro level the last few years have caused this team to go backwards, so why stick with someone in house?

Then the people who really matter: Caps fans, the people who keep the lights on at Verizon Center, are tentative about the hire.

I’ll be honest: I have no clue what to expect from MacLellan. I’m not going to pretend like it’s a horrible hire or good hire yet. Let’s give him a chance before we send him off to the gallows.

Hiring MacLellan, who was a best bud of McPhee’s, is a tough sell to the fan base. Words and promises won’t convince fans this time around, actions will. Wins will. Playoff success will.

With Alex Ovechkin about to turn 29, will MacLellan make the difficult decisions surrounding the team’s core to finally give the Russian machine a good supporting cast? Is his familiarity with the core players a detriment or an advantage? Will GMBM stray from GMGM’s philosophies? Are the poor trades and free agent signings that the team’s made lately a sign of what’s to come? I have so many questions.

One thing I do know: if the Capitals struggle out of the gate next season (bold moves or not), MacLellan, Patrick, and Leonsis will face heavy criticism. The fans will be vocal and they’ll wonder what– if anything– has truly changed. It’s hard to know when we’re not on the second floor of Kettler Capitals Iceplex.

I enjoy seeing the underdog win. I think it’s good to see a guy who was on no one’s radar get the nod. But until there are results, until there are changes, I will be side-eyeing suspiciously. More of the same would be unacceptable.